“What do you want me to do for you?” These are the words Jesus addressed to Bartimaeus, the little blind beggar who came running to him (See Mark 10:46-52). Bartimaeus had been calling after Jesus, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Even though others told him to shut up, he wouldn’t stop shouting. He had huge desire for healing and he recognised that Jesus was the one who could fulfil his desire.
Jesus continues to speak these words today. In fact he speaks these words to each one of us. “What do you want me to do for you?” With these powerful words Jesus is inviting us to name our deepest desire. He is asking us to name the thing we most need in our lives. We know what Bartimaeus’ deepest desire was. The Gospel tells us that he wanted to see again. Born with sight, Bartimaeus had obviously lost it at some point in his life and he desperately wanted it back. He had no problem naming his deepest desire in the presence of Jesus. As a result he got back not just his physical sight; he also received the light of faith. The gospel passage puts this beautifully: “Immediately his sight returned and he followed Jesus along the road.”
Like Bartimaeus, it is important for each of us to be given an opportunity to name our deepest desire in the presence of Jesus. This is the very place where Jesus meets us. The place where Jesus comes to us is the place of our deepest need. When Jesus asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?” do not presume that your first answer to this question is the deepest. People who pray with this gospel story often find themselves coming up with different answers. It is only after a number of attempts that they discover what their deepest desire actually is. It is necessary for us to give the question some time. The question will only awaken what is really going on inside of us if we allow it to gently move deeper and deeper into our hearts. There is often a difference between what we long for and what we settle for. Jesus wants to help us experience the thing we truly long for. This is our deepest desire.